Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-06-09

u
the room, in .response to its softly
purred welcome. Then my two-year-
old baby-girl left her little playthings
by the fire, and ran, with outstretched
arms and smiling, upturned face, to
meet me; but instead of lifting her in
my arms and kissing the sweet rosy
mouth, as was my wont, l repulsed
her so rudely that she staggered from
me and might have fallen, had not her
mother sprung forward and caught her
I'D. Then, glancing at me for the first
time since l had entered the room,
Jennie noted the expression of my face,
and in voice of real alarm cried out:
..Why. Jack! what in the world is the
matter9'
believe she thought l was drunk.
or crazy, for she turned deadly pale,
and the look of agony that came into
the sweet blue eyes shall never for
get.
Matter" l retorted. "Matter
enough, l should think that my wish
es, my comfort, should be nothing to
you, when am straining every nerve
and denying myself the necessaries of
life in order to secure home and q
competence for my family"
Really, Jack. don't know what
you mean," she replied.
"You don't, ell? How very inno-
cent, how very obtuse you can be. just
step into the hall, will you. and exam
inc that elegant garment that serves
me as an overcoat"
''Oh. Jack, l am SO sorry 1 forgot
it." she said. Il beg your pardon, in
decd l do. Inever thought of the coat
till this minute. l was working on
Ellie's little dress, the one l am max
ing out of my old blue silk overskirt.
and was SO busy that it was time to
prepare supper before realized where
the time was slipping to. am very
sorry that forgot the coat, indeed, l
am. I'll run and repair the worst
places in it while you are eating your
supper, and tonight, when you come
home, will finish it up nicely"
You'll do nothing of the kind.
madam. If you could not concern
yourself enough for my comfort to at
tend to it ut the proper time I'll not
have You running off to bother with it
now. You never forget the folderols
for yourself and Effie. it seems. Teach
our baby, as soon rs she is old enough,
to understand that the whims of fash
ion are of more Importance than her
fathers comfort. No doubt you will
find in her an apt pupil"
Jennie's lips quivered and the tears
started to her eyes. and then and there
l ought to have mastered my pcttish
anger, accepted her apologies, and
made peace between us, for could see
that she was deeply hurt, both by the
thought of her own neglect and my an
CRY upbraidings. But was not in
pacific mood. To be too easily concil-
lated would imply that my cause was
weak and my anger unjust
Stung, at last, to resentment, Jennie
uttered few angry rejoinders, in re-
taliation for which stormed. scolded,
banged the dishes, found fault with the
supper, and, when l had finished,
slammed the door behind ms and
rushed out into the gloom of the dis
NAL evening, leaving her sitting with
compressed lips, pale and silent, clasp
ing little Ellie in her arms, the baby
face hidden in her bosom. the wee form
shaking with convulsive sobs.
On my way down town l stopped in
at Goodsell & Bylow's, and run bill
of twenty-one dollars for new over
coat, mentally vowing that if it proved
to be long time before found means
to settle the bill, it should be longer
time before Jennie had another new
dress or bonnet of my getting.
did not return home till near ten
o'clock, and then. instead of going to
our slceping-room, shut myself into
a little room that had fitted up with
some book-shelves and writing desk,
and dignified by the name of library.
did not care to make even a pre-
tence of reading. The room was chilly
and comtortless, and I knew that
warmth and love awaited me on the
other side of the wall; but l lit the
lamp and sat down, with pipe in mouth,
to nurse the wrath that even the chill
atmosphere of the room seemed made
quate to cool More truthfully speak
ing, my wrath was already considera-
bly, cooled. and l was beginning to feel
ashamed of the unmanly part had
acted, and so felt tho need of little
longer nursing my resentment, i'm or
der to make out justifiable case.
had sat thus for. perhaps, half-hour
VIXEN Jennie knocked softly at the
door. what do you wantT' I de-
manded, shortly.
''Oh, Jack!" said she, II wish you
would come into our room. I feel
anxious about Ellie. She seems fever
ish."
You are always fancying there is
something the matter with Ellie. You
make a fool of yourself about the
child. You viii! ruin her with your
petting and coddling, and l want a
sion mt IN n Co oloup IN boH a,J